Entrance inclosure door actuating mechanism



July 4, 1933. 1.. c5. JACOBSON ENTRANCE INCLOSURE DOOR ACTUATING MECHANISM 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.-

F'i led March 28 h m M? July 4, 1933. L. G. JACOBSON ENTRANCE INCLOSURE DOOR ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed March 28, 1929 N IW 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I--- 4 V f m. -i \M 5 O Q g i m; f a

2 3 3 a 3 3 n a T i fm a Patented July 4,1933,"

T S ATE LUDWIG G. JACOBSON, or JAMEs'rown,

YORK

("PATENT 9mm I I new YORK, ASSIGNOR To 1 DAHLSTROM METALLIC noon comre-nmor Ja ensrowlv, NEW YORK, A oonrona'rion on NEW nnrnancn inonosunnl noon Ao'rUA'rmq MECHANISM Application fiieanarh 28, 1929. Serial'No. 50,793;

This invention relates to an improvement n entrance inclosures and more particularly to the door actuating means thereof.

-The preferred embodiment of this invention is directed totheprovision of entrance inclosure doors operated through the use of a solenoid motor. 1

Prior to this invention entrance inclosures such as used uponsubway, railroad cars, elevators and in various other-places, have been operated manually, by air or by electric motors. known to require considerably greater time to open and close than those operated either by air or electric motor. 'Furthermore, it is necessary for one person to be in attendance upon each set of doors and therefore this type of installation is being resorted to with less "and less frequency. Inclosuredoors operated by compressed air or, the "evacuation of air from a cylinder, although quick. acting, are

considered to be unsatisfactoryarid not alto-- gether safe because of the necessity to guardagainst and prevent leakage of air occurring in either the mechanism itself or in the supply line. Air pressure operated'do'ors, therefore, unless carefully checked at frequent-intervals cannot be dependednpon toopen or close the doors. Doors operated by anelectric motor are greatly to beprefcrred to either the manually or air pressure operated doors for the rea' son that there is combined in this form'of operating mechanism the suretyof the manually operated doors with thespeed'of the air pressure mechanism. However, as condi tions' change, door operating mechanisms,

particularly in subway trains and in elevators in ofiice buildings, are required to open and close in practically one-half the/time previously required. Furthermore, as building conditions alter and apartment houses are built in which is maintained elevatorservice,

' it is a prerequisite to the installation of elepositive and quick acting but that they be erated doors with the addition of silent 'operavators that the inclosure doors be not only nism, by which these doors are operated, must manual, compressed air or electric motor op The manually operated doors are tion. Thislast feature is one which prior to this invention has not been successfully carrled out. In the followingspecifi cation is disclosed entrance inclosure having doors actuated by means of properly located solenoids.

The principal-objectof thisinvention is to provide an entrance inclosure having a sliding door or doors,vthe operatingmechanism of which is positive, rapid and noiseless.

. Another object of this invention is to pro- I vide an entrance inclosure having multispeed doors operated by, meansfof rods or armatures subjected to the force of properly positioned helices.

v Other and further objects of this invention residesin the details of construction and operation as disclo'sedin the following specification and in the "drawings forming a part there of; and in which Fig. 1 is arear elevation ofa portion of an Fig. 3 isa vertical sectional view of one end of the vinclosure taken substantially on the line 3- 3 of Fig 1 and discloses the method of linking the door actuating means to-the "doors;

Fig, 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4:'4:'Of Figure 2 showing the method of securing the actuatingmechanism of one of the doors to the inclosure;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 1, disclosingfurther details of the construction of this invention; Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the entrance inclosure shown in Figure 1 and discloses a slight modification of the door actuating mechanism; v

"L Fig. 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the inclosure doors in their opened position after having thus been moved by the action of the solenoids; 1 V Fig. 8 isa vertical sectional view taken on the line' 8- -8 of Figure 6 and shows the method of oining the inclosure doors to their actuating mechanism; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figure 1 and discloses the make and break switch structure by which the solenoids are operated.

Referring to the drawings and partic larly to Figures 1 and 3 thereof, this invention is designed for use upon an entrance inclosure generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. The upper portion of the iuclosure 10 has mounted thereon, in any suitable manner as by bolts 12, a pair of solenoids or electromagnetic coils or solenoids l3 and 14. The solenoids 13 and 14, being patterned after the usual construction of solenoids, consist of series of windings amang-ed to permit the passage therethrongh of a suitable armature. vi hcn current is conducted into either of the solenoids. an electromagnetic force is set up which causes the armature, in this instance in the form of a rod, to move into and pass through said solenoid. Inasmuch as the novelty of this inventionlies not in the con struci'ional details of the solenoids but rather,- in their application for use to operate inclosure doors,- furdier description thereof is deemed unnecessary. Cables 15 are provided by which to carry electricity from an automatic switch 17 to the solenoids. Suitable cables run from the switch 17, being connected with a source of electrical supply and with a manually operated two-way switch.

The armatures which are attracted by the solenoids consist of rods 20 and 21, the rod 20 being actuated by thesolenoid 13 and the rod 21 by the solenoid-14. It is pointed out that both of the solenoids and both of the armatures or rods 20 and 21 are brought into use each time the doors are opened or closed. It is further pointed out that the solenoids, due to their inherent peculiar action, are not required to individually move either of the rods their full length, but only a distance substantially ne-half the solenoid length. This is made possible by dividingeach rod or a i'mature into a plurality of small armatures separated by air spaces 22. It is well known that air is a most suitable insulation against an electromagnetic force and by producing annularly reduced portions in each rod at regular intervals throughout their length, said rods are converted into a plurality of miniature a matures. For convenience of description the small armatures created in the rods 20 and 21 will be numbered beginning adjacent the solenoids as followsWThe rod 20 consists of small armatures 28, 25, 27 and 29. The rod 21 consists of small armaturcs 24. 26. 28 and. 30. -The fixed or supported end-of the rod 20 is mounted within an opening provided therefore in the upright 36, secured thereto through the use of a pin and slot structure 32 which permits a slight pivotal movement of said rod. Adjacent the support 36 and mounted upon the rod 20 is a. casing 38, the purpose of which is to provic e an air pocket or check to the movement of the doors when they have traveled from closed to opened position. The solenoid 13 is provided with an extended portion or collar 39, having a head 40 formed on the end thereof, and as the rod 20 is moved through the solenoid 13, the head 40 approach-ed by and received within the casing 38. An air valve 41, located at the rear of the casing 38, permits adjustment by which to increase or decrease the braking force to the movement of the doors.

The support 36 is continued upwardly above the point at which the rod 20 is joined and is adapted to support a plate 43. The plate 43 has projecting at right angles thereto, and extending from both sides thereof, an insulating strip 44. This strip is provided with metal contacts 45 spaced in staggered relation to each other and imbedded in the strip 44-. As shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the outer end of the plate lies within the switch 17 between rollers 46. The switch 17 comprises two sets of contacts, the contact 47 being in the circuit of the solenoid 13 and the contact 48 in the circuit of the solenoid 14. The contacts 47 and 48 are arranged one on each side ofthe plate 43 and are adapted to alternately make and break as said plate passes through the switch by passing alternately over the contacts 45 and insulating strip 44. As shown in the drawings, the contact 47 is closed and the contact 48 opened.

The rod 21, which moves through the solenoid 14, is mounted upon an upright 50, be ing secured to said upright in a manner identical with that of the rod 20. The casing 51 is secured upon the rod 21 adjacent the upright 50'and acts as an air pocket to check the movement of said rod when the doors move from opened to closed position. This casing is provided with an air valve 53 by which to increase or decrease theretarding action upon the movement of the doors. The solenoid 14 has formed thereon a collar 54 terminating in ahead 55 which is adapted to be engaged by the casing 51.

The uprights 36 and 50 are mounted upon the upper face and adjacent the ends of a channular member 58 by means of bolts 59. The channular member 58 is preferably of a length greater than the travel of either of the rods 20 or 21. The upper face of said member, to which is secured uprights 36 and 50, is provided with slots 61 and 62. Fastened to the inner face of the flange 64 of the channular member 58, adjacent the uprights 86 and 50 and extending through the openings 61 and 62, are sprockets 65 and 66. Mounted upon and connecting the sprockets 65 and 66 is a chain 68, the ends of which terminate in threaded shafts 69 which are joined together by the nut i70. An angle bracket 71,' having an upwardly extending flange 72, is secured to the high speed door 7 4 substantially midway of the vertical walls thereof. The flange 72 ofthe bracket 71 has an opening through which one ofthe threaded shafts. 69 is passed, asecond nut 73 securing said flangeagainst movement with re-' lation to the chain 68. The channular'memher 58, by means of its inwardly extending flange 60 is -mounted upon'and secured to the low speed door '75 by bolts 6. 1 Attention isv directed to the fact that the lowspeed door 75 is operated directly by and travels substantially the samedistance as the rods 20 and 2.1 when actuated bythe solenoids. The high speed door 74, however, since it must travel twice the speed and twice the distance of. the low speed door 75, is

jointed to the channular member '58 and rods 20 and 21 through the chain 68. Inasmuch as no movement of the chain 68 about the sprockets 61 and 62 would take place without attaching or securing said chain to some fixed element, the bracket 7 8, shown in 'Figure 4 of thedrawings, is provided. This bracket is mounted upon the upper portion 7 of the inclosure 10, directly to" one side of the the inclosure.

solenoid 14,-and hasa flange'7 9 upon which approximately two links of the chain rest,

A block 80, having teeth extending downwardly therefrom, spaced in accordance with the openings of the chain 68,- is secured to the flange 79 of the bracket by bolts 81. i In this manner the chain 68,.at this point, is adjustably'engaged with-a fixed element, namely, the inclosure 10.

The .doors 74 and are supported upon rollers 83 which in turn are mounted upon a track '84. .The track 84' is supported by suspension bolts 86 adjustably mounted within brackets 87 fastened to the portion 10 of The track adjusting means.

and manner of mounting the doors upon said track form no part of this invention and no furgher reference thereto will therefore be ma e. i Y

' The above described structure, by which the inclosure doors are actuated, operates inthe following manner. VA double throw, double contact switch is provided in conjunction with'the automatic switch 17, to supply electrical energy to the solenoids whereby to move the doorsfrom one position'to another.

Since the control switch forms no *p'artof thisinventio'n, it is'neither shown nordescribed. 'Ref.erring to Figure 1 of the draw-' ings. in which. the inclosure-doors 74 and 75 are shown in their closed position, the 'control switch is-thrown in a direction to open said doors. The first impulse of electricity, as may be noted bythe contact v47 of' the switch 17 is to enter the solenoid 13 causing are set up; an electromagnetic force. The

armature 23 of the rod 20 lies partially withis broken and the contact 47 is made.

in the held of said force and is consequently instantly drawn into the solenoid toa position such that the end thereof is adjacent the 'end of said solenoid. Since rods 20 and 21 move together, the rod 21, through the movement of the rod, 20, will have moved to the position such that the armature 24 thereof has moved partly out of the solenoid 14 and the armature 26 partly into saidsolenoid. At the sametime that the rods 20 and 21 are moved by solenoids 13 and 14; the plate 43 has also moved a similar distance within the switch 17 and to the position such that just asjthe pulling power of the solenoid 13 ceases upon thearmature 23, the contact '47 is'broken by the insulating strip 44 and the contact 48 closed by the metal contact 45. a As soon-as the contact 48 closes, current enters the solenoid 14- which instantly sets up an electromagnetic force about the end of the armature 26. The armature 26, by reason of the magnetic force applied thereto, moves completely into the solenoid 14 and as it does so, the armature 25 of the Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings,

it will be noted that the final impulse to open rod and by the same solenoid that caused the initial movement of said doors. It will be further noted that the contact 47 remains unbroken after havingfpermitted the final. energizing of solenoid-13. The double throw, double contact switclnby which the doors are actuated, may now be thrown to cause the doors to move from. opened to closed position. Whenthisis donethe contact 47 immediately. becomes the makeandc break switch for the'solenoi d 14' andthecontact 48 for the'solenoid 13. In other words, by

throwing the two-way switch iii-the opposite: direction, the contacts 47'and 48 now control the supply of current to the solenoids reverselytfrom-that during the openin g operation. Sincethe armature 30 of the rod 21 lies within'the solenoid 14 and the contact 47 isclosed, electricity will be transmitted to said solenoid causing said armature to move completely into "said solenoid. it Durii-ig, the movement of the armature 80,- the armature 290i? the rod 20has moved partially out of engagement with the solenoid 13 and the amature 27 partly into engagement wi th said solenoid. At this-point the contact 47 breaks,

the doors; has been exerted upon'the same the contact 48' closes and current enters the solenoid 13 causing it to draw the armature 27 into complete engagement therewith. he remainder of the travel of the doors to their closed position is accomplished by the movement of armatures 28, 25, 26, 23 and 2 When the armature at has moved into engagement with the solenoid 14. the doors 7 1: and 7 5 will be closed and the rods and sole noids will again occupy their relative positions shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Attcntionat this point is briefly directed to the door actuating structure. It will be observed that the channel 58 and sprockets 61 and 62 move a distance equal to that of the rods 20 and 21. Since the channel 58 has directly securedthereto the slow speed door 75, said door will be moved a distance equal to that of the travel of the rod 20. As above pointed out, the chain 68 is secured to the bracket 78 which in turn is mounted upon the inclosure :trame 10. Consequently, as the sprockets 61. and 62 are moved with the channel 58 from the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 2, they will be rotated by the resistance of the chain 68 to movement. Vi hile it is true that the portion of the chain secured by the bracket 7 8 does not move, the remainder thereof moves about the sprockets and causes the bracket 71, secured thereto, to move. Inasmuch as the high speed door 74 is secured to the bracket 71, said door will be actuated at a speed twice the speed and obviously twice the dis tance that the red are moved.

A slight modification of the above described invention is shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings. In this instance, the solenoids 13 and 14 are permanently joined together, preferably one directly above the other, by means of a bracket 90. A pedestal 91 is formed in the bracket beneath the solenoid let and constitutes the means by which said solenoids are mounted upon the channel 58. The rods 20 and 21 are supported at both ends thereof within housings 92, said housings having a supporting flange 93, by which to secure them to the upper portion of the inclosure 10. The ends of the rods 20 and 21 are mounted within an insulating medium 94, the purpose of which is to reduce to a minimum any tendency of the housings 92 and flanges 93 to act as armatures when current is supplied to either of the solenoids. In Figure 6 of the drawings, the solenoids 13 and 14 are shown in the position they assume when the doors 74 and 7 5 are closed; Mounted upon the solenoid 13 and preferably forming a part of the bracket is a make and break switch 95 which, when the solenoids move longitudinally'on rods 20 and 21,

20, channel 58 and door 7 5 causes current to be conducted alternately into said solenoids. The vertically reciprocal rod 96 is provided with a roller 97 which travels alternately upon the plate 98 and insulaters 99. In this modification the action ofthe solenoids upon the rods 20 and21 is identical with the action of the solenoids upon therods of the above described modification, the only dilference being that in this instance the solenoids move longitudinally of the rods carrying with them the channel 58 and: door actuating mechanism, whereas,

in the previously described structure the sole noids were fixed and the rods 20 and 21 moved longitudinally of said solenoids. As shown in the drawings,-the solenoid 13' is the first and last actuating means during the operation of opening the doors, whereas, the solenoid 14L acts first and last to close said doors. The same number of armaturcs as in the previous modification are shown and since the action by the solenoids is identical further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood that although applica-nthas shown and described solenoid motors by which to operate a pair of inclosure doors, or as they are called in the trade, two speed doors, it is quite possible to arrange the above described structure to operate a single speed door, threespeed doors, center opening single speed doors and center openmg two speed doors without in any way de-, parting from the spirit and scope of this invention as set forth in the hereunto annexed claims. r

Having thus set forth my invention what .i claim is new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is: 1

1. In an entrance inclosure, multi-specd doors mounted for reciprocation upon said inclosure, a door operating mechanism comprising channular member mounted upon one of said doors, a chain and sprocket structure mounted upon said channular memher, the other of said doors being secured tosaid chain, supporting members mounted upon saio channular member, rods parallel with ca ch other mounted in said supports and clectnanagnetic means adapted to act upon and move said rods in one direction or another whereby to open or close said inclosure doors.

2. In an entrance inclosure, high, and low speed doors mounted for reciprocation upon said inclosure, a door operating mechanism comprising a channular member mounted upon said low speed door, a chain and sprocket structure mounted upon said channular member, said chain being secured to said high speedv door, armatures, meanssupporting said armatures upon said channular member and electroi'nagnetic means adapted to reciprocate said armatures whereby to open or close said entrance doors. 1

3.11] an entrance inclosure, high and low speed doors mounted for reciprocation upon said inclosure, a channular member secured speed doorsmounted for reciprocation upon said inclosure, a door operating mechanism mounted upon said low speed door comprising, a change speed device forming a part of said door operating mechanism and in engagement with said high speed door, supports mounted ,upon said door operating mechanism, armatures extending parallel with each. other mounted-within said sup ports, solenoids electromagnetically associated with said armatures and means adapted to retard and check the movement of said armatures in one direction or another when actuated by sa1d solenoids.

5. In an entrance inclosure structure having sliding doors, a rectilinear electromagnetic motor for operating said doors comprising a pair of 'coils, and a plurality of armatures formed in rods and projecting axially through each of said coils, means spaoedly mounting said rods, door hangers, doors depending therefrom, a channel member mounted on one of" said hangers, and

supporting said coils, sprockets mounted on said channel, an endless chain engaging said sprockets, means on said chain suitably connected with said inclosure and said other hanger whereby the ratio of velocities of said doors isheld constant.

6. In an entrance inclosure structurehavnetic motor for operating said doors comprising a pair of coils, a plurality of armatures mounted on rodsand projecting axially through said coils, means connected with said doors and supporting said coils, and further means being adapted to gradually reduce the velocity of said doors atvcertain locations in their travel.

7. In an entrance inclosure structure hav- 7 ing sliding doors, a rectilinear electromagnetic motor for operating said doors comprising a pair of coils, a plurality of armatures mounted on rods and projecting axially through said coils, means connected with said doors and supporting said coils, and adjustable pneumatic means being adapted to gradually reduce the velocity of said doors at cer tain locations in their travel.

8. In an entrance inclosure structure having two-speed sliding doors, the combination of a rectilinear electromagnetic motor co1nprising a pair of fixed coils, armatures projecting axially through each of said coils, contact means for connecting said coils to a source 01' current supply, with means for positively controlling the velocity ratio between said doors, said means comprisinga channel member attached'to the slow door, sprockets mounted on said member, an end-.

less chain connecting said sprockets, a por-' tion of said chain being fixed to said inclosure structure, another portion of said chain being attached to the fast door, said armatures mounted on said channel 'member whereby and movement of said armatures', upon energizing said coils, causes simultaneous movement of said slow and fast doors ina velocity ratio of one to two.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

ing sliding doors, a rectilinear electromag- I LunwIe e. JAOOBSON. i- 

